How is Barbiturates different from alcohol?

Barbituates are a class of drugs that has been mostly phased out in medicine. They were used as sedatives, for anti-anxiety, and as a anti-convulsants (still used for this today). According to the legal definition, all barbiturates are narcotics. If use the definition of narcotic as a substance that puts you to sleep well... pretty much all barbiturates are narcotics.

Bottom line: Barbiturates are a subclass of narcotics.